Greenwich High marks Newtown anniversary

Paul Schott

Updated 10:26 pm, Friday, December 13, 2013

At 10 a.m. on Friday, Greenwich High School Headmaster Chris Winters' voice came on the public announcement system. Students and faculty knew immediately that he would not be delivering an ordinary message.

"The anniversary of the Newtown shooting is likely to bring up very strong feelings in us all," Winters said. "For some, there are feelings of fear... For some, there will be feelings of sadness for those innocent lives taken before they ever got to taste the joy and struggles that accompany adolescence and adulthood. For some, there will be a feeling of anger: How could someone with profound mental health issues have access to weapons that can kill at such a rapid rate?

"Regardless of what triggers your strong feelings, we deal with them best when we come together, support one another and thank those who serve heroically to keep us all safe."

He also encouraged students to thank Greenwich first responders and teachers, and perform "random acts of kindness."

He then asked students to rise and join him in a moment of silence. The scores of pupils in the school's student center instantly quieted and rose to their feet.

After observing the silence, a reflective mood permeated the student center on the day that the entire school observed the anniversary of the shooting that claimed the lives of 20 students and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

Visual reminders of the anniversary abounded. Many pupils in the student center wore green ribbons and green clothing. The green represents Sandy Hook's school color, as well as an emblem of Newtown-oriented community service and advocacy work in the year since the tragedy.

Looking up at the west wall of the student center, students faced a large green banner that read "Thank you first responders. Sandy Hook, 12-14-12. Never Forget." The tribute also featured 26 red, white and blue pinwheels honoring the fallen.

Tackling homework at the same table, seniors Amaly Hernandez, Victoria Lopez and Lisa Marroquin took a break from their assignments to reflect.

"It's scary that it happened nearby," Hernandez said. "I have a little sister, and she's in kindergarten. I can picture how the parents would feel if they lost someone. If I lost my sister, I would be devastated."

Marroquin said she now looks at Dec. 14 very differently. That day is also her birthday -- she turns 18 on Saturday.

"Now, when I tell someone that my birthday is Dec. 14, they say that that's the day the kids were killed," she said. "It's a tragedy -- those kids were not able to reach what they dreamed of."

Lopez said: "I can relate to what Amaly said because I have nieces and nephews who are very young. It's so sad."

Other students also described an intense emotional response to the tragedy.

"It's just shocking, the whole thing that happened," said senior Randi Schmaling. "It doesn't even seem like it's been a year. It seems it like was yesterday.

"There were so many rumors that day, too. We had heard they were shutting down all the Greenwich schools. There was so much miscommunication. It was unbelievable when we first heard about it."

Standing next to Schmaling, senior Bonnie Stallings recalled a similar reaction.

"I didn't believe because I didn't think someone would do that to kids, to first-graders," she said.

Students said they acutely felt the tragedy, in part because of Greenwich's proximity to Newtown. About 40 miles separate the towns.

"We were all thinking, `Oh my God, it's right up there,' because Newtown is not far away," said senior Nick Ditrio. "It's tragic. Those children never got to experience life, really."

A few tables away, junior Antonio Fazzino sat with a group of friends, wearing a green Polo hat with a green ribbon affixed on top. He also described a complex range of emotions.

"It's really sad because it was just before Christmas," he said. "I feel really bad and wish there were more things we could do to help. But what we're doing today at school is one good thing that we can do."